Cigarette lighter fuel control mechanism



July 21, 1954 KuNlJxRo sEGAwA CIGARETTE LIGHTER EUEE CONTROL MEcHANsM Filed Aug. 24. 1962 TNVENTOR. KUN/7mo ,SEGA ma:

ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,141,3l'7 CGARETTE LIGHTER FUEL CNTRL MECHANISM Kunijiro Segawa, Ishikawa, Japan, assigner to Borneo Sumatra Trading Company, Inc., New York, NX., a

corporation of New Yorlr Filed Aug.. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 219,236 2 Claims. (Cl. 67-7.1)

My invention relates to improvements in a cigarette lighter, and in particular to improved means for regulating the rate of ow of gas to the combustion outlet of said cigarette lighter.

The invention has particular application to a cigarette lighter having a valve, operator controlled means for opening or shutting the valve, and means for supplying gas, which may be formed by evaporation of liquid from a fuel reservoir, for flow through the valve to the cornbustion point when the valve is open. ln such a lighter, it is desirable to provide operator controlled means for regulating the rate of ilow of the gas to the valve so as to regulate the flow of gas to the combustion point when the valve is open.

One object of this invention is to provide improved cigarette lighter gas delivery i'low rate control means for use in a lighter of the above-described type, which can be easily and economically assembled, which eliminates the use of springs and which gives long satisfactory service life.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cigarette lighter gas delivery flow rate control means comprises a cylindrical outer casing having an apertured bottom wall, and a valve casing extending sealingly and slidably into the top of the outer casing. The valve casing has a bottom wall dening with the outer casing bottom wall a chamber. The operator can manually adjust the position of the valve casing to vary the height of the chamber. The valve casing bottom wall has a top outlet port, and a valve is provided which can be manipulated by the user to block and unblock the outlet port.

Further in accordance with the invention, the valve casing bottom wall has a bottom recess communicating with the outlet port for How of gas thereto from the chamber. A compressible and exibie annular disc is mounted in the chamber on the outer casing bottom wall. This disc, for example, may be made of an elastic polymer such as rubber or synthetic rubber. A wick extends through the bottom wall aperture and into the disc opening. This wick extends below the casing for immersion into a liquid fuel supply.

A rigid, gas impervious disc is located on the compressible disc in the chamber with a peripheral clearance between the disc and the outer casing Wall. rlhe rigid disc has a bottom diametrically extending groove communicating with the compressible disc opening and extending to the periphery thereof to provide a gas ow passage past the rigid disc. A gas porous disc is located upon the rigid disc and against the valve casing bottom Wall. The porous disc has a through bore registering with the recess, and the rigid disc has a central upper boss extending through the porous disc and slidably into the recess.

As a result of the above construction, the upper valve casing can be positioned so as to compress the compressible disc, causing a resulting corresponding tension of the porous disc against the valve casing bottom wall. This partially seals the porous disc bores against gas flow to the recess and hence through the valve to the combustion point of the lighter. The compression of the compressible disc is controlled by adjustment of the position of the lCe valve casing, so as to correspondingly regulate the rate of gas llow to the recess.

it will be apparent that the use of the compressible disc, in conjunction with the rigid disc as described and the porous disc, results in a simple construction, eliminating springs and providing long satisfactory service life.

@ther objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, in conjunction with the annexed drawing, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed.

In the drawing:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a lighter in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary section, to enlarged scale, on line 2--2 of FIG. l, showing the details of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the working parts of the gas delivery ilow rate control means.

Upon reference tothe drawing in detail, it will be noted that it shows a cigarette lighter having a generally rectangular, upstanding casing ltiti. On top oi casing ltltl is an operating lever 99, which may be conventional and accordingly is not described in detail, said lever 99 being laterally pivoted at 96 to the casing. Snufier 97 is laterally pivoted at 96 to operating lever 99, and it will be apparent that any conventional mechanism may be employed such that when the intermediate portion of lever 99 is depressed, snuier 97 is raised so as to clear the cover cap i9 best shown in FIG. 2. FG. 2 also shows diagrammatically a lever Z@ having an appropriate opening so that it can extend around the cap portion lta of reduced diameter whereby raising and lowering of lever Ztl causes corresponding raising and lowerinty of cap i9. Any suitable means may be employed for raising and lowering lever 20. Reference is made to my copending application, tiled on August 24, 1962, Serial No. 219,235, for details of a structure of lever 99, snulfer @7 and lever 2li.

Cap 19 in part controls the operation of reciprocal valve member 17. Said valve member lll slides in valve casing consisting of elements i8 and 3 which are screwed together. The valve casing element 3 is in turn adjustably received within cylindrical outer casing l. Said cylindrical outer casing il is located adjacent the front wall of casing 100 and extends through an opening la in the top wall of casing ltltl. The casing Ti has a head lb of slightly enlarged diameter which rests upon the stepped down casing top wall portion laila of casing ltltl. Said cylindrical outer casing i has a bottom wall l with a central aperture 15.

The valve casing element 3 is generally cylindrical and its upper peripheral portion is externally screwthreaded at 3a. Said casing 3 may thereby be threaded into the correspondingly screwthreaded upper bore le of outer casing 1. Said element 3 extends above outer casing l, and knurled operating wheel 2 is slidingly and non-rotatably mounted upon the upper end of valve casing 3 by any suitable means. Accordingly, wheel 2 is located externally of casing lut?, just above the stepped down top wall portion 108g, so that the wheel Z may be manipulated in order to turn the valve casing element 3, and thereby raise or lower it relative to outer casing l.

Below its threaded portion 3a, the valve casing element 3 has a pair of spaced circumferential grooves i3 receiving G rings 14 which engage frictionally slidably and sealingly against the bore of outer casting 1.

The bore of valve element 3 is screw threaded at 3b so as to receive the externally threaded lower portion 18a of elongated valve casing element 18. The upper portion 3c of the bore of valve casing element 3 is of increased diameter so as to receive an external peripheral llange 13b of element 1S with said iiange abutting the shoulder formed at the junction of bore 3c and the main bore of element 3. Said element 18 extends above wheel 2 and extends slidably into a vertical bore 19a formed in cap 19. At the upper end of cap 19, its bore is of reduced diameter, as shown at 1%, so as to provide a shoulder at the junction of the two bores 19a. and 19h.

Valve casing element 3 has a bottom closure wall 3'. This wall 3 has an upstanding central boss 95 and has a vertical bore 4 extending downwardly from the top of boss 95. Said bore 4 serves as an outlet port. The bottom of wall 3 is formed with a recess 5 which extends to and communicates With port 4.

The valve 17 is in the form of an elongated tube which extends slidably through and above the bore of valve casing element 18. Said valve casing element 18 has a lower bore portion 18e of increased diameter, and valve element 17 has an intermediate portion 17a of increased diameter which fits loosely and slidably within the bore portion 18C. Below portion 17a, the valve 17 has a bottom portion 17b of still further increased diameter which tits clearingly within the bore of valve casing element.

The bottom of valve portion 17h has a recess 93 to receive a flexible and resilient sealing member 92 which overlies and is adapted to seal port 4. The upper part of Valve 17 has a bore 92 extending from the top thereof to the intermediate valve portion 17a. At that point, bore 92 meets a diametrical bore 93 which extends to the outer circumference of valve element 17a and can receive gas passing through the clearing space between valve element 17a and the bore portion 18C.

The valve casing bottom wall 3 and the outer casing bottom wall 1 define therebetween a chamber 90 which contains the gas delivery flow rate control means in accordance with the invention. A wick holding rigid disc 11 is received within chamber 9@ and resting upon bottom wall 1. r)This disc 11 has a pair of holes 11a. Ropelilre wick 11i is extended through one opening 11a, over the top of disc 11 and down through the other hole 11a, so that the end portions of wick 1t) extend downwardly below casing 1. Below disc 11, the wick 1t) is encased by a cylindrical, open-end tube lila which extends around the wick and also extends through opening 15. Any suitable means for supporting wick 1@ entering into outer casing 1 may be employed, and for this purpose the disc 11 may be considered to be a part of the bottom wall l. The interior space 16 of casing 100 is a tank which receives liquid fuel 16a., or the like, to any desired level, such that the wick is irnmsersed in the liquid fuel. Accordingly, in the usual manner, fuel is drawn up by the wick, and the fuel vapor or gas passes through the outer casing 1 into chamber 9b.

Compressible and flexible annular disc or ring 9 is received within chamber 99 and rests upon disc 11. The bight of wick 1b extends into the central opening 9a of disc 9. Said disc 9 may be made of any appropriate elastic polymer, such as natural or synthetic rubber.

A rigid, gas-impervious disc 6 is located in chamber 9@ upon disc 9. Said disc 6 is preferably made of metal. Disc 6 clears the peripheral wall of casing 1, the clearance space being designated by the reference character 6a. rlhe bottom of disc 6 has a through diametrical groove 8. Said groove 8 communicates with the clearance space 6a. and also with the disc opening 9a.

A gas-porous disc 12, optionally made of leather, is positioned in chamber 90 upon the rigid disc 6 and against the lower face of valve casing bottom wall 3. Said disc 12 has a through bore 12a communicating with recess 5. Disc 6 has an upstanding central boss 7 which extends through bore 12a and extends slidably and clearingly into recess 5.

The operation of the lighter is as follows:

The valve casing 3 may be selectively positioned, by manipulation of hand wheel 2, to compress somewhat the compressible disc 9. As the result of the resiliency of disc 9, the porous disc 12 is pressed with corresponding tension against the lower face of valve bottom wall 3', thereby partially sealing the pores of disc 12. When cap 19 is raised, by action of lever 20, gas can flow from Wick 10, through groove 8, clearance space 6a, porous disc 12, recess 5 and port 4. The resulting gas pressure due to expansion upon the member 92 raises the plunger valve 17, permitting gas to ow in the bore of valve casing element 3, in the clearance space between valve portion 17 and bore 18C, in bore 93 and hence in bore 92 and through bore 19h to the atmosphere, where ignition can take place by any suitable means (not shown) It will be apparent that whether or not gas flows at all will depend upon the ori-olf condition of valve 17. On the other hand, the rate of iiow of the gas will depend upon the extent to which the pores of disc 12 are sealed by valve casing bottom wall 3. This in turn is controlled by regulating the position of valve casing element 3, by manipulation of hand wheel 2.

It will be apparent that the gas delivery flow rate control means in accordance with the invention are simple and economical to produce and assemble, eliminate the use of springs and provide a long satisfactory service life.

While I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, and have indicated various changes, additions, and omissions which may be made therein, it will be apparent that various other changes, omissions and additions may be made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. Cigarette lighter gas delivery ilow rate control means comprising a cylindrical outer casing having an apertured bottom wall, a valve casing extending sealingly and threadably into the top of said outer casing, said valve casing having a downwardly convex bottom wall defining with said outer casing bottom wall a chamber, means for adjusting the position of said valve casing to vary the height of said chamber, said valve casing bottom wall having a top outlet port, a valve operable to block and unblock said outlet port, said Valve casing bottom wall having a bottom recess communicating with said port, a compressible and flexible annular disc in said chamber on said outer casing bottom wall and having a central opening, a wick extending through the bottom wall aperture and into the disc opening and also extending below said casing for immersion in a liquid fuel supply, a rigid gasimpervious disc on said compressible disc and peripherally clearing the outer casing wall and having a bottom diametrically extending groove communicating with said compressible disc opening, a gas-porous disc on said rigid disc and against said valve casing bottom wall and having a through bore registering with said recess, said rigid disc having a central boss extending through said porous disc and slidably clearingly into said recess, said valve casing being adapted to be positioned for compression of said compressible disc and resulting corresponding tension of said porous disc against said valve casing bottom wall to partially seal the disc pores against gas flow to said recess, the compression of said compressible disc being regulable by adjustment of the position of said valve casing so as correspondingly to regulate the rate of gas flow to said recess.

2. Cigarette lighter gas delivery flow rate control means comprising a cylindrical outer casing having an apertured bottom wall, a valve casing extending sealingly and threadably into the top of said outer casing, said valve casing having a downwardly convex bottom wall defining with said outer casing bottom wall a chamber, means for adjusting the position of said valve casing to vary the height of said chamber, said valve casing bottom wall having a top outlet port, a Valve operable to block and unblock said outlet port, said valve casing bottom wall having a bottom recess communicating with said port, a rigid disc in said chamber and resting upon said bottom wall, said disc being provided with a plurality of holes, a compressible and flexible annular disc in said chamber on said rigid disc and having a central opening, a wick attached to said rigid disc passing up through one of said holes, over said rigid disc and extending into said annular disc opening, then extending through the bottom Wall aperture of said casing for immersion in a liquid fuel supply, a rigid gas-impervious disc on said compressible disc and peripherally clearing the outer casing Wall and having a bottom diametrically extending groove communicating with said compressible disc opening, a gas-porous disc on said rigid disc and against said valve casing bottom Wall and having a through bore registering with said recess, said rigid disc having a central boss extending through said porous disc and slidably clearingly into said recess, said valve casing being adapted to be positioned for compression of said compressible disc and resulting corresponding tension of said porous disc against said valve casing bottom wall to partially seal the disc pores against gas flow to said recess, the compression of said compressible disc being regulable by adjustment of the position of said valve casing so as correspondingly to regulate the rate of gas 110W to said recess.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,620,643 Nissen Dec. 9, 1952 2,737,037 Zellweger Mar. 16, 1956 3,006,406 Goddard Oct. 31, 1961 3,083,554 Iketani Apr. 2, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,150,042 France July 29, 1957 1,200,837 France July 6, 1959 1,230,371 France Mar. 28, 1960 

1. CIGARETTE LIGHTER GAS DELIVERY FLOW RATE CONTROL MEANS COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL OUTER CASING HAVING AN APERTURED BOTTOM WALL, A VALVE CASING EXTENDING SEALINGLY AND THREADABLY INTO THE TOP OF SAID OUTER CASING, SAID VALVE CASING HAVING A DOWNWARDLY CONVEX BOTTOM WALL DEFINING WITH SAID OUTER CASING BOTTOM WALL A CHAMBER, MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF SAID VALVE CASING TO VARY THE HEIGHT OF SAID CHAMBER, SAID VALVE CASING BOTTOM WALL HAVING A TOP OUTLET PORT, A VALVE OPERABLE TO BLOCK AND UNBLOCK SAID OUTLET PORT, SAID VALVE CASING BOTTOM WALL HAVING A BOTTOM RECESS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PORT, A COMPRESSIBLE AND FLEXIBLE ANNULAR DISC IN SAID CHAMBER ON SAID OUTER CASING BOTTOM WALL AND HAVING A CENTRAL OPENING, A WICK EXTENDING THROUGH THE BOTTOM WALL APERTURE AND INTO THE DISC OPENING AND ALSO EXTENDING BELOW SAID CASING FOR IMMERSION IN A LIQUID FUEL SUPPLY, A RIGID GASIMPERVIOUS DISC ON SAID COMPRESSIBLE DISC AND PERIPHERALLY CLEARING THE OUTER CASING WALL AND HAVING A BOTTOM DIAMETRICALLY EXTENDING GROOVE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID COMPRESSIBLE DISC OPENING, A GAS-POROUS DISC ON SAID RIGID DISC AND AGAINST SAID VALVE CASING BOTTOM WALL AND HAVING A THROUGH BORE REGISTERING WITH SAID RECESS, SAID RIGID DISC HAVING A CENTRAL BOSS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID POROUS DISC AND SLIDABLY CLEARINGLY INTO SAID RECESS, SAID VALVE CASING BEING ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED FOR COMPRESSION OF SAID COMPRESSIBLE DISC AND RESULTING CORRESPONDING TENSION OF SAID POROUS DISC AGAINST SAID VALVE CASING BOTTOM WALL TO PARTIALLY SEAL THE DISC PORES AGAINST GAS FLOW TO SAID RECESS, THE COMPRESSION OF SAID COMPRESSIBLE DISC BEING REGULABLE BY ADJUSTMENT OF THE POSITION OF SAID VALVE CASING SO AS CORRESPONDINGLY TO REGULATE THE RATE OF GAS FLOW TO SAID RECESS. 